CAIRO – Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad held a meeting with Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Chitose Noguchi and several UNDP representatives in Cairo to discuss areas of joint cooperation.
The meeting focused on reviewing the latest developments in joint cooperation between the Ministry of Local Development and the UNDP.
A key topic was the technical support project for decentralization and integrated local development, which is being implemented in four governorates: Fayoum, Beni Suef, Luxor, and Aswan.
The discussions also covered the progress of strategic projects in the targeted governorates.
These included the Al-Habil Urban Market in the Bayadiya district of Luxor, the Integrated Service Center and Olive Oil Industrial Complex in Yusuf al-Siddiq, Fayyoum, the Integrated Center for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Samasta, Beni Suef, and the Model Center for Date Production, Packaging, and Trading.
Also, a logistics area for agricultural products in Aswan is being developed.
These projects are being funded with a total budget of approximately 480 million Egyptian pounds.
The meeting further addressed proposed future initiatives and a work plan for the governorates, particularly in the field of local economic development, focusing on job creation, improving local governance, and enhancing investment capacities within the governorates.
Awad asserted her Ministry’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the UNDP to develop local governance and economic capacities in the governorates, contributing to sustainable, integrated development in line with the successful partnership between the Egyptian government and international donor agencies.
For her part, Noguchi praised the strong partnership with the Ministry of Local Development, noting the UNDP’s commitment to collaborating on the ministry’s vision and programs to meet local community needs.
She underlined that such cooperation plays a key role in generating job opportunities and strengthening local economies for the benefit of communities.
